Mawaysian Chinese cuisine is derived from de cuwinary traditions of Chinese Mawaysian immigrants and deir descendants, who have adapted or modified deir cuwinary traditions under de infwuence of Mawaysian cuwture as weww as immigration patterns of Chinese to Mawaysia. Because de vast majority of Chinese Mawaysians are descendants of immigrants from soudern China, Mawaysian Chinese cuisine is predominantwy based on an ecwectic repertoire of dishes wif roots from Fujian, Cantonese, Hakka and Teochew cuisines.

As dese earwy immigrants settwed in different regions droughout what was den British Mawaya and Borneo, dey carried wif dem traditions of foods and recipes dat were particuwarwy identified wif deir origins in China, which graduawwy became infused wif de characteristics of deir new home wocawe in Mawaysia whiwe remaining distinctivewy Chinese. For exampwe, Hainanese chicken rice is usuawwy fwavoured wif tropicaw pandan weaves and served wif chiwwi sauce for dipping, and tastes unwike de typicaw chicken dishes found in Hainan Iswand itsewf. Some of dese foods and recipes became cwosewy associated wif a specific city, town or viwwage, eventuawwy devewoping iconic status and cuwminating in a prowiferation of nationwide popuwarity in de present day.

Chinese food is especiawwy prominent in areas wif concentrated Chinese communities, at roadside stawws, hawker centres and kopitiam, as weww as smart cafes and upmarket restaurants droughout de nation, uh-hah-hah-hah. Many Chinese dishes have pork as a component ingredient, but chicken is avaiwabwe as a substitution for Muswim customers from de wider community, and some Chinese restaurants are even hawaw-certified.

Bak Kut Teh (Chinese : 肉骨茶) (pork ribs soup). The root meaning for de dish, "Bak Kut" (Hokkien diawect) is de term for meaty ribs, at its simpwest cooked wif garwic, dark soy sauce and a specific combination of herbs and spices which have been boiwed for many hours. Popuwarwy regarded as a heawf tonic, dis soup is historicawwy eaten by hard working Chinese coowies working on de wharfs at Port Swettenham (now Port Kwang) and cwearing estates, accompaniment wif strong tea ("Teh") on de side. There are some differences in seasoning amongst oder Chinese communities; de Teochew prefer a cwear brof which is heavier on garwic and pepper, whiwe de Cantonese may incwude additionaw varieties of medicinaw herbs and spices. Variations incwude de so-cawwed chik kut teh (made wif chicken and a version dat is gaining popuwarity wif Muswim diners), seafood bak kut teh, and a "dry" (reduced gravy) version which originated from de town of Kwang.

Bakkwa (Chinese : 肉干) - witerawwy "dried meat", bakkwa is better understood as barbeqwed meat jerky. Whiwe dis dewicacy is especiawwy popuwar during de Chinese New Year cewebration period, it is avaiwabwe everywhere and eaten year round as a popuwar snack.

Bean Sprouts Chicken (Chinese : 芽菜雞) - Ipoh's most weww known dish, Bean Sprouts Chicken consists of poached or steamed chicken accompanied wif a pwate of bwanched wocawwy grown bean sprouts in a simpwe dressing of soy sauce and sesame oiw. The crunchy and stout texture of Ipoh-grown bean sprouts is attributed to de mineraw-rich properties of wocaw water suppwies. The dish is usuawwy served wif hor fun noodwes in a chicken brof, or pwain rice.

Chai tow kway (Chinese : 菜頭粿) - a common dish in Mawaysia made of rice fwour. It awso known as fried radish cake, awdough no radish is incwuded widin de rice cakes, save perhaps de occasionaw addition of preserved radish (Chinese: 菜圃) during de cooking process. Seasonings and additives vary from region, and may incwude bean sprouts and eggs.

Chee cheong fun (Chinese : 豬腸粉) is sqware rice sheets made from a viscous mixture of rice fwour and water. This wiqwid is poured onto a speciawwy made fwat pan in which it is steamed to produce de sqware rice sheets. The steamed rice sheets is rowwed or fowded for ease in serving. It is usuawwy served wif tofu stuffed wif fish paste. The dish is eaten wif accompaniment of semi sweet fermented bean paste sauce, chiwwi paste or wight vegetabwe curry gravy. Ipoh and Penang have different versions of de dish as weww; certain stawws in Ipoh serve de dish wif a red sweet sauce, dinwy swiced pickwed green chiwwies and fried shawwots, whiwe in Penang, a type of sweet, bwack shrimp sauce cawwed hae ko is de main condiment.

Chun gen (Chinese : 春卷) is an obwong roww of seasoned ground pork or beef wrapped wif a din omewette and steamed. The name is derived from de Hakka word for de spring season, which is pronounced as "chun". (Anoder expwanation is dat "chun" is for "egg" instead.)

It is said to have been around since Chunqiu period with a rumor of Duke Huan of Qi and since then it's been a custom in Fujian. Today it is available beyond Tenom, and found throughout Sabah's Chinese communities. It may be eaten on its own, cooked in broth or soup, and stir-fried with noodles or vegetables.

Chicken rice (Chinese : 雞飯) - chicken rice is one of de most popuwar Chinese-inspired dishes in Mawaysia. Hainanese chicken rice (Chinese : 海南雞飯) is de best known version: it is prepared wif de same traditionaw medod used for cooking Wenchang chicken, which invowve steeping de entire chicken at sub-boiwing temperatures widin a master stock untiw cooked, to ensure de chicken meat becomes moist and tender. The chicken is den chopped up, and served wif a boww or pwate of rice cooked in chicken fat and chicken stock, awong wif anoder boww of cwear chicken brof and a set of dips and condiments. Sometimes de chicken is dipped in ice to produce a jewwy-wike skin finishing upon de compwetion of de poaching process. In Mawacca, de chicken rice is served shaped into bawws.

Fish baww (Chinese: 鱼丸、鱼蛋、鱼圆) are fish paste shaped into a sphericaw shape. Usuawwy fish baww is served as a condiment togeder wif rice vermicewwi or yewwow noodwes in a cwear soup base. Bean sprouts and spring onions are awso commonwy added, compwemented by a smaww pwate of chiwwi padi soaked in soy sauce. Fishcake is awso a common addition, uh-hah-hah-hah.

Fish head bihun (Chinese : 鱼头米粉). A noodwe soup in which de main ingredients are rice vermicewwi and a deep fried fish head cut into chunks. The soup itsewf is somewhat creamy, which is usuawwy achieved using a mixture of rich fish stock and miwk. Tomatoes and pickwed vegetabwes are sometimes added to cut de richness and provide a tangy foiw for de noodwe soup.

PenangHokkien mee, cowwoqwiawwy referred to in Penang as Hokkien mee, is awso known as hae mee (Chinese : 蝦麵) in oder parts of Mawaysia. One of Penang's most famous speciawties, it is a noodwe soup wif yewwow and rice noodwes immersed in a spicy stock made from prawns and pork (chicken for hawaw versions), and garnished wif a boiwed egg, poached prawns, chopped kangkung and a dowwop of sambaw.

Ngiu chap (牛什) is a Chinese-infwuenced dish of beef brof served wif noodwes, usuawwy dunked in de soup wif poached beef swices, meatbawws, stewed brisket, tendon, wiver and various offaw parts. An iconic Sabahan dish, ngiu chap has many different variations, from de wighter Hainanese stywe to heartier Hakka-infwuenced fwavours, and even viwwage-stywe ngiu chap adapted for indigenous Sabahan tastes.

Oyster omewette or O-chian (Chinese : 蚝煎) - a medwey of smaww oysters is sauteed on a hot pwate before being fowded into an egg batter, which den has moistened starch mixed in for dickening, and finawwy fried to a crisp finish. Unwike oder versions of oyster omewettes found droughout de Hokkien and Teochew diaspora, a dick savoury gravy is never poured onto Mawaysian-stywe oyster omewettes; a chiwwi sauce is provided on de side for dipping instead.

Pan mee (Chinese : 板面) - noodwe soup wif hand-kneaded and torn pieces of noodwes or reguwar strips of machine-pressed noodwes, wif a toodsome texture not unwike Itawian pasta. A variant popuwar in de Kwang Vawwey is known as "Chiwwi Pan Mee", and which of cooked noodwes served wif minced pork, a poached egg, fried anchovies and fried chiwwi fwakes which are added to taste. Chiwwi Pan Mee is accompanied wif a boww of cwear soup wif weafy vegetabwes.

Popiah (Chinese : 薄饼) - Hokkien/Teochew-stywe crepe stuffed and rowwed up wif cooked shredded tofu and vegetabwes wike turnip and carrots. The Peranakan version contains juwienned bangkuang (jicama) and bamboo shoots, and de fiwwing is seasoned wif tauchu (fermented soybean paste) and meat stock. Anoder variation consists of popiah doused in a spicy sauce. Popiah can awso be deep fried and served in a manner simiwar to de mainstream Chinese spring roww.

Sang nyuk mian (Chinese : 生肉面) is a dish of noodwes served wif pork brof, originating from Tawau. Very popuwar wif de non-Muswim communities of Sabah, it is named after de poached-to-order swices of tender marinated pork served in pork brof which is fwavoured wif fried ward bits. The noodwes (usuawwy dick yewwow noodwes) are eider dressed in dark soy and ward, or dunked into de soup awong wif de aforementioned pork swices, vegetabwes, meatbawws and offaw.[3]

Seremban Siew Pau (Chinese : 芙蓉烧包). The town of Seremban, de state capitaw of Negeri Sembiwan, is famous for its siew pau, a fwaky oven-baked pastry bun wif a treacwy BBQ pork and green pea fiwwing. Chicken fiwwings are avaiwabwe as a hawaw option, uh-hah-hah-hah.

Teochew porridge - Teochew porridge or muay (Chinese : 糜) is a type of rice porridge or soup. Unwike congee, Teochew porridge is din and watery in texture, wif visibwe rice grains sitting woosewy at de bottom of de boww. Eaten as a substitute for pwain cooked rice instead of a compwete meaw by itsewf, it is served wif an assortment of side dishes wike vegetabwes, meat and sawted egg. At eateries speciawising in Teochew porridge, one can find a buffet spread of at weast a dozen different dishes to choose from. Some variant recipes add sweet potatoes or even shark meat to de porridge during de cooking process.

Tau sar pneah (Chinese: 豆沙饼) - A famous Penang dewicacy, dis round-shaped Chinese pastry is made of wheat fwour, sugar, green bean paste, fried onions, ward and sawt. It is awso known as Tambun biscuits as de pastry was bewieved to be invented in Bukit Tambun, Penang. Its popuwarity as a dewicacy has made dis biscuit one of de must-buy souvenirs from Penang.[4]

Tuaran mee (Chinese : 斗亚兰面) is a speciawity of Tuaran town, uh-hah-hah-hah. This dish of wok fried fresh handmade noodwes is weww known in de nearby city of Kota Kinabawu as weww as in neighbouring Tamparuwi town, where de wocawised adaptation is cawwed Tamparuwi mee (Chinese : 担波罗利炒生面). The noodwes must first be toasted wif oiw in de wok to prevent it from cwumping togeder, den bwanched to reduce de stiff crunchy texture from toasting. The finaw step invowves stir frying de noodwes to a dry finish wif eggs, vegetabwes, and meat or seafood.[1]

Wonton Mee

Wonton Mee (Chinese : 雲吞麵) - din egg noodwes wif wonton dumpwings (Chinese : 雲吞), choy sum and char siu. The dumpwings are usuawwy made of pork or prawns and typicawwy boiwed or deep fried. The noodwes may be served in a boww of brof wif dumpwings as in de traditionaw Cantonese manner, but in Mawaysia it is more commonwy dressed wif a dark soy sauce dressing, wif boiwed or deep-fried wonton dumpwings as a topping or served on de side in a boww of brof. Variations of dis dish are usuawwy in de meat accompaniments wif de noodwes. These may incwude roast pork (烧肉), braised chicken feet, and roast duck (烧鸭).

Yau Zha Gwai or Eu Char Kway or You Tiao (Chinese : 油炸鬼 or 油条) - a version of de traditionaw Chinese cruewwer, which is a breakfast favourite. It can be eaten pwain wif a beverage wike coffee and soy miwk, spread wif butter or kaya, or dipped into congee. It is shaped wike a pair of chopsticks, stuck togeder. The name itsewf amusingwy transwates into "greasy fried ghosts".

Yusheng (Chinese : 鱼生) - a festive raw fish sawad, awso pronounced yee sang in de Cantonese manner. Whiwe raw fish preparations are dought to have existed in China during antiqwity and can be found in de Chaoshan region of Guangdong province in modern times, yusheng was created and devewoped in Singapore in 1964 when de repubwic was stiww a member state of de Federation of Mawaysia.[5] It consists of strips of raw fish tossed at de dining tabwe wif shredded vegetabwes, crispy tidbits and a combination of sauces and condiments. Yusheng witerawwy means "raw fish" but since "fish (鱼)" is commonwy confwated wif its homophone "abundance (余)", Yúshēng (鱼生) is interpreted as a homophone for Yúshēng (余升) meaning an increase in abundance. Therefore, yusheng is considered a symbow of abundance, prosperity and vigor. As a resuwt, de mixing and tossing of yusheng wif chopsticks and de subseqwent consumption of de sawad has become rituawised as part of de commemoration of Chinese New Year festivities in Mawaysia and Singapore.

Zongzi (Chinese: 粽子) - a traditionaw Chinese food made of gwutinous rice stuffed wif savoury or sweet fiwwings and wrapped in bamboo, reed, or oder warge fwat weaves. They are cooked by steaming or boiwing, and are a feature of de Duanwu festivaw, which is stiww cewebrated by de Chinese communities in Mawaysia.

Chinese kuih, written as "guo" (粿) or sometimes as "gao" (糕), are usuawwy made from ground rice fwours. Many of de kue are made especiawwy for important festivities such as de Qingming Festivaw or Chinese New Year, however many oders are consumed as main meaws or snack on a daiwy basis. Exampwe of dese kue incwude:[6]

Many Chinese kue reqwire de use of a Kue mouwd simiwar to dat use in mooncakes, which is eider carved out of wood or made of pwastics. Kue mouwds wif turtwes are ubiqwitous, dough mouwds of peaches are usuawwy qwite common, uh-hah-hah-hah. Red cowoured turtwe kue are known especiawwy as "Ang ku kueh"/"Red Tortoise Cake" (紅龜粿). Since many Chinese no wonger make kue at home, dese mouwds have become wess common in many kitchens.[7]

Tangyuan (Chinese : 汤圆 or 湯圓) - pwain white or cowoured sweet dumpwings made from gwutinous rice fwour. Traditionawwy homemade and eaten during Yuanxiao (Chinese : 元宵) as weww as de Dongzhi Festivaw (Chinese : 冬至), tangyuan is now avaiwabwe year around sowd as dessert. Tangyuan dumpwings wif fiwwing are usuawwy served in a wightwy sweetened cwear syrup, whiwe unfiwwed ones are served as part of a sweet dessert soup.

UFO tart (Chinese : 牛屎堆) - dis consists of a fwat, din base of baked mini butter sponge cake topped wif a creamy egg custard, which is in turn crowned wif a meringue swurry.[10] Its name in Chinese has a witeraw means "cow piwe dung", which awwudes to de piped shape of de cake base's toppings and de meringue's darker shade as a resuwt of caramewisation, uh-hah-hah-hah. Popuwarized by a Hainanese bakery in Sandakan in de 1950s, de popuwarity of dese treats has spread to Kota Kinabawu and severaw oder towns in Sabah.[11]

Over 80% of Mawaysian Chinese identify demsewves as Buddhists, and some fowwow a vegetarian diet at weast some of de time. Some Chinese restaurants offer an excwusivewy vegetarian menu (Chinese : 素食, 斎) featuring Chinese dishes which resembwe meat dishes in wook and even taste, wike "roast pork", fried "fish" wif "skin" and "bones", and "chicken drumsticks" compwete wif a "bone". These vegetarian restaurants are run by proprietors who abstain from consumption of animaw products as weww as strong tasting vegetabwes and spices as way of wife for rewigious reasons, and are essentiawwy vegan, uh-hah-hah-hah. The meat anawogues used are often wocawwy produced as opposed to imported, and are made sowewy from ingredients wike soy, gwuten, mushrooms and tuber vegetabwes. Buddhist vegetarian restaurants are wikewy to be found in areas wif a high concentration of Chinese, and tend to be especiawwy busy on certain festive days where many Buddhists temporariwy adopt a strict vegetarian diet for at weast a day.